Mother Dearest
by LemurGirl
Summary: As her mother goes out, a little brother comes in. A collection of shorts from Sango and Kohaku's childhood, mostly about them, but sometimes about their mother too.
1. Chapter 1

A young Sango ran through the grass, zigging and zagging from flower to flower. She barely had time to pick one before another would catch her eye, and then she'd be off again, running to pick it before its beauty faded away.

Her mother sat on a low bench outside their house. She was watching instead of picking, Sango knew, because she was going to have a baby. Sango wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but she supposed she would find out. Her aunt had just been over a few days ago, and she had said that it would happen soon.

Sango looked back at her mother. She knew her mother liked flowers, and she wanted her to have the best ones of all. She could already imagine giving her mother the large bouquet of flowers she planned to pick, and how her mother would smile and laugh and place the flowers in a bowl of water to keep them fresh. She happily resumed picking.

Sango's mother gasped suddenly, half rose, then crumpled to her knees.

"Mama!" The young Sango ran to her mother, flowers forgotten. "What's wrong?"

"Sango." Her mother spoke calmly, despite the sweat beading on her face and the intense pain in her midsection. "Get your aunt and bring her here. Then get your father from the field."

"Yes, Mama!" Sango was only five, but she knew what was happening. This must be the baby. She started to run to the house of her father's sister.

"Sango!"

Sango stopped and turned.

"Yes, Mama?"

Her mother stared at her for a long moment. "Know that I love you very much, Sango."

"Mama?" Sango took a step towards her mother, but the woman waved her off.

"Go now. Be quick."

Sango turned heel and ran away. Her mother sank lower. This was it.

* * *

Sango sat outside the hut with her father. He had his arm around her, holding her tightly, securely. She snuggled deeper into his side as her mother's screams rang out. Her father's arm twitched.

"Did Mama scream this much when she gave birth to me?" she asked, looking up at him.

Her father met her gaze. He seemed to contemplate something. "No," he said finally. He said it quietly, but there was a decisiveness about it.

"Oh." Sango shook her head and squirmed so her father's arm was against her ear, muffling the screaming a bit. She could feel that his muscles were completely tense. Something felt off, but her mother was going to be fine. She was a mother, after all, and mothers were always fine. Weren't they?

Her aunt pulled the curtain aside. "Hirokatsu," she said, "you'd best come quickly. It's a boy, but… it's happening."

Sango felt her father's arm fall away as he stood. As she sat on the ground, watching him walk away, the off feeling surged back. She almost called out, but he had entered the house and the flap had already fallen back down. She was alone.

Her aunt disappeared, but came back a moment later. "Sango, dear, your mother wants to see you."

Sango followed her aunt into the hut. It was dim. Through the filtered light, she could see her mother lying down in the middle to the room. Her father was bent over her, holding a bundle. Sango ran over and knelt at her mother's side.

"Sango…" her mother's voice was breathy, and she sounded like each word was being pushed out from deep in her stomach. "…see your new brother…"

Her father tilted the bundle, showing Sango the tiny baby wrapped up in it. His little face was cute, but Sango was too confused to pay much attention.

"Mama, what's happening? What's wrong?" Tears pricked Sango's tiny eyes as she looked at her mother. Her hair was spread out behind her, and the two shorter side pieces fell like two tiny, symmetrical fans above her shoulders. Her face was pale.

Instead of answering, her mother tried to reach out a hand to brush Sango's face, but it quivered and fell short in the air. Sango grabbed the hand and brought it to cup her own cheek. She pressed her face into her mother's hand.

"Sango…" her mother's voice was the only sound in the hut. Sango's aunt stood in the corner, head bowed silently.

"You have to promise me… be a good girl. Look after your brother… you're his big sister… you have to protect him."

"But you have to do all that, Mama." A few tears rolled down Sango's cheek and wet her mother's hand. The flowers in her grasp began to get sweaty as her palms rubbed off on them.

But her mother's gaze had slid to her father. "Hirokatsu…."

Sango's father grabbed his wife's other hand, so that she almost seemed suspended, held up by her hands.

"Jin, I…" he began, but his voice broke.

"It's all right…" Sango's mother whispered. "…I love you... I'm sorry to leave you…"

"Jin, please… don't…."

"You'll be able to do it… You've always been so strong, Hirokatsu…."

"Mama!" Sango cried, terrified. "What's happening?"

Her mother looked back at her. "I love you, my girl…. You'll be a good sister…."

"Mama!"

But her mother's gaze had slid away and now rested on the ceiling. She looked up, but it seemed her eyes were fixed past the roof.

"I love you both… you three… be good to each other…"

Sango's mother drew in a sharp breath, then let it out in a slow exhale. Sango felt the hand on her cheek, once holding her in a gentle caress, go limp. Her father clutched at the hand he was holding.

"Mama!"

Sango involuntarily let go of her mother's hand. It fell for what seemed like an eternity, hitting her shoulder on its way down, finally landing on her lap.

Sango sat stunned, too confused and hurt to move. Across her mother's body, her father also let go of the hand he was holding and covered his face, shaking silently.

"Mama?" The name, sounding more like a question than before, wobbled in the air before falling.

No one answered. Her aunt came silently over and lifted the baby from her father's arms. As soon as his sister took the infant, all his fight seemed to go out of him, and he collapsed next to his wife. Sango struggled to her feet and ran to her father.

The flowers, which she had kept a tight hold on, even then, slipped from her fist and fell to the floor.

* * *

AN: Well, that's chapter one! I'm putting up this one and the next one together so I can get the whole mom-death-thing over with, and start with the sibling bonding time. I'll try to update every week or so. I have at least five parts planned, but if I think of any more I'll write them up too. I hope you enjoyed this one so far, and rest assured that this is pretty much as dark as it gets!

(Disclaimer, for this and all following chapters: I'm sure this is 115% obvious, but these are not my characters! I only write about them for fun.)


	2. Chapter 2

A small girl sat alone in a wooden hut. It had been a few weeks since her mother's death, but to her, it had only been a few days. Her father was with her aunt and her new little brother in her aunt's house. She was helping him with the baby. He knew what to do, of course, but this time, he was doing it alone.

After he left, Sango put her plan into action. Quietly, so as not to disturb her father next door, she went to his clothes chest. His suit of armor was there, and Sango knew all about taijiya suits of armor. She knew that they were designed individually for each taijiya. She knew that they held great cultural significance for her people. And she also knew that they had secret weapons concealed in every conceivable place.

Once she had detached her father's hidden wrist blade from its holder, she untied her hair and smoothed out two long sections in front, one on each side of her face.

She rolled the small bone knife in her hands, holding it different ways find the best grip. Finally, she settled on one. Grabbing a section, she pulled it taut and began to hack away at it.

Strands broke slowly until the fistful of hair she was holding was no longer attached to the rest of it. The part still on her head was frizzy and uneven. She dropped the loose hair on her lap and switched the knife to her other hand. She grabbed at the other section.

"SANGO!"

A large hand grabbed her wrist, pulling the knife away from her hair. Her father had returned.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"I wanted to look like Mama."

Her voice was as tiny as she was. Sango looked away, hanging her head. Her father released her. She heard him walk away. Sango sat motionless, blinking back tears.

But then her father was back, kneeling in front of her. He put his hand under her chin, drawing her face up to look at his.

"That's not the way to do it. Here."

He was holding a pair of scissors.

Silently, he straightened out her messy first attempt at hair bunches. Then he moved to the other side and cut it equal to the first bunch.

Sango reached up and felt the bunches. They fell down before her ears and stopped just past the lobes. She patted them, fluffing up the ends.

"Is that all right?" her father asked quietly.

"Yes," Sango said. She patted her hair once more. She smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

"Kohaku!"

Sango huffed in frustration, making her bangs puff up angrily. She had been looking for her brother for a long while now, but he was nowhere to be found. _He's only three years old. How could he have gone so far?_ She had only turned her back for a minute to help her aunt with the washing, and he had been gone when she looked again. At first they thought he was hiding in the shed, but he wasn't. She'd searched all his favorite spots by now- the big rocks in the meadow, the flower field near the forest, the smelting grounds for weapon repairs- but he wasn't to be found. She was scouring the main road now, hoping someone might have seen him toddle past.

It was then that she heard the muffled shouts and crying a little ways off. _Not Daiki again!_ That boy was the meanest kid in the village, in Sango's opinion. He was always finding someone to bully, and it looked as though he had found his newest victim. She couldn't see the child clearly through their legs, but he was much younger, and crying hysterically. Daiki and his friends appeared to be taunting him, throwing a ball back and forth over his head. Sango wondered who the little boy could be.

Wait a minute…

As she stomped over to them, she saw that it was indeed her missing brother. Kohaku sat on the ground, fists opening and closing at the sky, tears rolling down his chubby cheeks. Sango's temper flared. She pushed through the ring of boys and confronted Daiki.

"What're you doing to him?" she demanded. "He's three years old!"

"We're playing a little game. He's in the middle, and he's got to catch his ball." Daiki demonstrated the supposed game by catching the ball, then throwing it to a friend on the opposite side of the circle. Kohaku watched the ball soar over his head and let out a renewed wail.

"That's not a game! Stop it!"

"Oooooo, big sister Sango to the rescue! You always gonna fight his battles for him?"

"Leave him alone!" Sango tried to snatch the ball away as it came once again towards Daiki, but he caught it with a fancy twist of the wrist.

"Aw, we're just teasing," he drawled, tossing the ball to his snickering friend. "We're gonna give it back to 'im. He's just stupid. Just like all-"

But what exactly he was just like, Daiki never got to say. Sango launched herself at him, knocking him down. He landed spread-eagled on the ground. Sango straddled him and grabbed him by the collar.

"DON'T EVER," she shouted, "CALL MY BROTHER STUPID!"

She raised her fist and smashed it down on Daiki's face. His friends dropped the ball and scattered, looks of pure terror on their faces. Blood spurted from Daiki's nose. She punched him again and again. Consumed by rage, she rained blows down on his face, shoulders, anywhere she could reach. Finally, her anger spent, she got up. Daiki rolled over and groaned. His mouth was bleeding, and more blood trickled down from his nose to crust on his upper lip. Sango grabbed Kohaku under his arms and hauled him up. Her brother in her arms, she glared once more at Daiki, then held her head high and walked away.

* * *

Sango sat in front of the fire, her arms folded over her chest. Kohaku sat off to the side, oblivious to the scene playing out before him. Sango frowned deeply and listened to her father.

"What were you thinking? You broke his nose, Sango. His _nose_. You can't do that to people. Just how hard were you punching him?"

"He made fun of Kohaku!" Sango protested. "He called him stupid, Father!"

"That doesn't change anything. You can't use violence for every problem, Sango."

"I can if the problem is making my brother cry," she retorted dourly, glaring at the fire.

"No. You can't do anything like this again, do you promise me that?"

Sango didn't respond.

"You can't just punch people who don't agree with you. You need to use restraint. Part of being a good warrior is knowing when to stop. But a good warrior also knows when to start. You can't fight people all the time. Sometimes, you have to use your words.

"When he talked, he made you mad, didn't he? Do the same to him. Words can be just as powerful, if not more so, than the strongest punch or the sharpest sword."

"But you fight all the time, Father, and you're the master of the village!" Sango protested bitterly.

"Yes, but why do you think I stay that way? People respect me, Sango, because I can talk problems out. I can explain my side in a way that everyone understands."

Sango's father paused, then sighed.

"I agree with your motives, but there is still no excuse for what you did. You'll stay inside the rest of the day."

"Yes, Father." Sango bowed her head resignedly. Her father got up and left the hut. Kohaku cooed and chewed on his ball. Sango scooted over to him and pulled him onto her lap.

Hugging him fiercely, she whispered into his hair, "I don't care what Father says. I'll always protect you, no matter what.

"I promised."

* * *

AN: Chapter three is here! This was my favorite to write, and even one of the headcanons that started this whole idea in the first place. And if you continue reading, remember this one; it'll tie in later...


	4. Chapter 4

Trying to control her breathing, Sango swung at the punching bag. She sent it swinging back, and as it came towards her she neatly sidestepped.

"Next!"

Goro stepped up and squared his stance, sending the bag flying back once more. To her satisfaction, it didn't swing nearly as high as it had when she punched it. He stepped aside, and the next boy stepped up. Goro joined Sango at the sidelines, watching as the rest of the group took their turns. The group of newly turned nine-year-olds was training off from the rest of the taijiya so as not to interfere with the older, better fighters.

"This training stuff is hard work," he commented, crossing his arms over his chest. "But it sure is fun!"

"You can say that again!" A wave of excited energy washed over Sango. To finally be on the training field…. At first Yasuji had been hesitant to take her on as a student, but a few "suggestions" from her father had secured her a spot and lessons.

As the rest of the group finished their punches, Sango noticed that Yasuji was watching her with a dour expression on his face. _I suppose he's mad about being forced to take me on_ , Sango thought. _But I'll be good enough that he won't be mad for long._

Once everyone had finished and gravitated to where Goro and Sango stood, Yasuji joined them.

"We'll go back to the punches later," Yasuji said, "but for right now I want to give you a taste of the other moves you'll be learning. Spread yourselves out. We're going to try kicks."

The group fanned out, the boys talking excitedly amongst themselves. Kicks were one of the most versatile moves. They could be used to attack as well as defend, and were very helpful when trying to disarm an opponent. Sango had seen her father doing kicks during sparring sessions, and she had marveled at the way he made it seem so effortless and easy.

"The proper way to do a kick," Yasuji said, "is like this." He demonstrated the kick and landed in a solid formation. "Now you try, on my mark. Ready yourselves… and go!"

The group kicked out as one. Sango twisted her hips, guiding her body with her arms and following with her legs. She landed out of formation, but she was, in fact, the only one to land. Around her, boys were lying on the ground in various unflattering positions. Goro seemed to have forgotten to kick and had perhaps tripped on his own feet. Masamichi and Tomio had kicked each other, and Daiki had almost stuck the landing but had tripped over at the last second. The other boys had fallen over themselves in various other ways, and Sango felt a surge of pride again.

"Your feet are too far apart, Sango. You have to kick and _tuck_ , not spread."

Sango waited for him to correct the rest of the group, but he didn't say anything. Anger flared inside of her, just like it had when Daiki had tormented her brother. She wanted to scream at him and tell him he was stupid. But she clamped it down, remembering what her father had said. _You need to use restraint._

"The rest of you, good work, but it can be better. Try again."

Daiki stuck out his tongue as he clambered to his feet. Sango glared as they got into formation again.

By the end of the training session, Sango was fuming, restraint be damned. Every time they had attempted a new move or set, Yasuji had belittled her and corrected her every move, even as the boys fell over and tripped themselves up around her. She hadn't done perfectly, but she had gotten closer on her first try than any of them had at all. Why was she the only one getting corrected?

As he dismissed the class, Sango made up her mind to talk to him. She didn't care that he would be mad, she didn't care that it would most certainly get back to her father, and she didn't care that he would be angry with her when he found out. All she cared about was finding out exactly why _she_ was taking the brunt of the criticism.

But before she could go over to him, he walked over to her. "Sango."

"Yes, sir?" she asked, as politely as she could.

"You need to work harder. What I saw out there today was unacceptable."

"What?" Sango was shaking as she replied. "What you saw out there today was me doing better than any of the boys, on anything we tried!" Her voice cracked with the strain of keeping her temper in check.

"Beginner's luck," Yasuji scoffed. "Your father may think you've capable of this, but you're not. You make mistakes. You get careless. Sloppy footwork is not acceptable for a taijiya."

"I-I-" Sango could barely think straight, but before she could say something that was _definitely_ not acceptable, Yasuji had turned away.

"Tomorrow, I hope you'll have reigned in your temper. Insubordination will not be tolerated. Don't think you'll get special treatment just because your father is the master. This is your warning."

As he walked off, Sango struggled to keep in a scream. She was seized with the irrational urge to grab him, shake him, make him feel the anger she was holding inside-

"Sister?"

Sango was caught off guard for a second. Tiny hands came up to grab her fists, and she looked down at her little brother. As she looked at his cute little face, she could feel her anger for Yasuji being replaced with love for Kohaku.

"Sister?" he repeated. "Auntie wants you to come back. She wants help with the laudurary."

"Laundry," Sango corrected him absentmindedly, lifting him into her arms. "Let's go over there right now, shall we? You can hand me the clothespins."

Kohaku nodded very seriously, as though she had entrusted him with a sacred and dangerous task. Sango smiled as she shifted him in her arms. He grabbed around her neck for stability as she started off, and soon they were on the road leading to their aunt's house.

"How was training?" Kohaku asked.

Sango scrunched up her face over his shoulder, remembering her anger and Yasuji's stupid face. "It was fine," she lied. "I'm learning lots already, and it's only the first day."

Kohaku twisted around and smiled at her. "You're gonna be the bestest taijiya ever!"

 _If I can keep my temper in check_ , Sango answered silently. But out loud, she said, "I hope so."

* * *

AN: Chapter four! Sorry for the wait, but I got so caught up in back-to-school things that the week passed by without me noticing. That's what you get for leaving your summer homework to the last minute, I suppose!


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm going to marry Suzuka."

"Oh, really?" Sango lifted an eyebrow and looked down at her brother. Kohaku stood with his arms crossed and all the determination that a five year old could muster. She decided to humor him. After all, cooking was boring and she wanted something else to do. And her little brother was just so cute with that no-nonsense look on his face that she wanted to encourage him. "And why is that?"

"I gave her a leaf today and she said she liked it. So now we're getting married."

"That must have been some leaf," Sango said amusedly. "Was it pretty?"

"Yeah," Kohaku said. "It was red and orange and yellow. And there was green too." He lifted his arms and made a huge circle in the air. "It was like a whole tree in one leaf!" he proclaimed enthusiastically.

"Well, what does Suzuka say about your big plans?" Sango asked, absently stirring the stew.

"Oh, we discussed it at length," Kohaku said seriously. He must have picked that expression up from their father, because Sango couldn't see how he could possibly understand what it meant.

"Have you now?"

"Yes! And she agrees with me! When we get big like you we're going to get married!"

"You might want to wait a little longer than that," Sango cautioned. "Give it a few more years."

"Okay. When we're big like Father, then."

"Well, not _that_ old. Maybe when you're Eiji's age. He just got married a few months ago, remember?" Sango smiled fondly as she spoke, recalling her cousin's marriage. He and his wife, Fuyumi, had looked so happy that day. She hoped Kohaku would be that happy one day, and if his relationship was jumpstarted by youthful leaf-giving, so be it.

Kohaku nodded solemnly. "That makes sense. Hey!" He was distracted by a sudden thought. "I gotta go tell Suzuka! Thanks, sis!" He darted back out of the house. Sango smiled wryly after him.

She wondered how long it would take him to forget his idea.

* * *

AN: Oh boy, I'm not even going to try to explain this one, because I don't even get how I did it myself. Somehow when posting the next chapter (formerly chapter 5, actually chapter 6) I forgot the fact that I had finished this one and just went on to the next one and put that up.

Then, when I was ready to put a new chapter up today, I was scrolling through my document and saw this, fully completed, screaming, "Why did you skip me? How is this possible?"

So anyway, for those of you who have been following this story, this occurs before Sango's first mission. Sorry for the mixup, it has me completely baffled too.


	6. Chapter 6

Her first mission. Sango was thrilled. Her fingers shook as she buttoned up her armor, doing up the clasps and securing the pads. It was the same black bodysuit as the other taijiya, with the hidden wrist blades, daggers in the boots, and armor that concealed even more deadly weapons. Her armor was specially made for her, as it was for all taijiya, with a color that no other living taijiya wore. Hers was pink, and she was proud to claim the color for her own.

They were going on a mission to a village nearby. A snake demon had been ravaging the countryside, and the taijiya had heard about it a few days ago. Preparations had been made, and the group was ready to start out now.

Sango finished changing into her armor and pulled her hair back into a ponytail, then shouldered her boomerang bone. At eleven years old, she was barely tall enough to lift it, but she knew she would eventually be able to carry it with ease. She patted over her armor one last time, making sure every strap was tightened properly, then lifted the flap and went outside.

Her aunt was hanging the washing outside, and as Sango came towards her, she turned and looked at her niece.

"Oh…." A smile spread over the woman's face as she abandoned her wash and came over to Sango, pulling her into a tight hug. "Your mother would be so proud to see you now," she whispered into Sango's hair.

Rustling behind them made her aunt start, and she turned around, pulling Sango in front of her. "Just look at your little girl, Hirokatsu!" she said tearily as her brother came out of the hut, dropping the mat back down to cover the entrance.

Sango's father stared at her for a long while. Sango couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking, but she hoped it was good. Finally, he came over to her and put a hand on either shoulder. "I'm very proud of you, Sango," he said quietly. "If only your mother could see you now."

A loud sniff came from her aunt as she hurried back inside her house. A minute later, Kohaku appeared, apprehensively peeking outside. When he saw Sango, his eyes went wide and he ran over to her.

"Wow sis, you look great!" he said enthusiastically. Sango laughed and ruffled his hair, a favorite pastime of hers.

"Thanks!" she said. He threw his arms around her waist, and she hugged him back, feeling his tiny warm weight securely against her own.

He drew back and looked her very seriously in the eye. "Be safe, okay?"

"Don't worry, son," their father said, and both of them looked up at him. "We'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Kohaku asked, giving Sango the smallest extra squeeze. She put a hand on his back and rubbed in gently.

"Yes," their father said. "Remember, the only demons we need fear-"

"-are the ones that wear a human form," Sango and Kohaku chorused. Kohaku giggled while Sango said, "You say that all the time, Father."

"I say it," he paused, looking them both square in the eyes, "because it's true. No harm will come to you on this mission, or any other. I promise you that."

Kohaku nodded slowly, still staring at their father. "Now, what are we waiting for?" their father said, clapping his hands together, "Kohaku, you'd better get in that house and help your aunt with dinner! And Sango and I have some slaying to do."

Kohaku nodded again, gave them each a quick hug, then dashed inside. Their father clapped a hand on Sango's shoulder. "We'd best get going."

"Yes, sir," Sango said, and she followed her father to the front gate, where the other men were waiting.

* * *

AN: I actually had another idea for a chapter before this one, but it's half-finished, I was unsure about how much I liked it, and I wanted to keep going with this story. If I finish it I might post it, but for now I'll just put this up. Hope you enjoyed!

AN Update: Yeah, so if you read the author notes on the previous chapter you know what's up. I still can't believe it, but I'm gonna stop talking about it now because if I don't I will never stop ranting about my stupidity. Enjoy!


	7. Chapter 7

Sango and Kohaku sat on the low bench outside their house, watching the trees rustle from the light breeze that blew them. From the training fields, shouts and crossing swords were filtered down to the siblings.

"I can't wait to start training," Kohaku said wistfully. "Just listen to the noises! They must be having a great time."

"Well, you'll start soon," Sango said. "You're almost nine."

"How do you know?" Kohaku looked quizzically at her, and Sango realized that she'd never told him what she did every year around this time.

"See that bush?" She nodded at a squat shrub a little ways off. "You were born when the flowers were just turning into seeds. It's flowering now, so it won't be too long yet."

"Are you sure it's nine?" Kohaku asked hopefully.

"Yes. Every year I pick one, and I have eight so far. So it'll be nine this year."

"Why do you pick them every year?"

"They were Mama's favorite," Sango said quietly. "She used to pick them and put them in a bowl of water to have in the house. I used to blow on the water and make them race each other to the other side of the bowl. She did it every year… so I started to do it too, and I saved them…." She trailed off and the two of them sat in a sad silence.

"What was she like?" Kohaku whispered.

"She loved flowers. Any kind of flowers. She'd pick them and braid them into crowns and things. She was gentle. And… and…" Sango paused and tried to dredge through eight years of memories, "she smelled like sun."

"Like sun," Kohaku repeated faintly.

"You look a lot like her, you know," Sango said after a moment's pause. "They say I look like Father and you look like Mama."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. She had freckles too, and your eyes are like hers."

"Do you think… what do you think she'd say if she met me?"

"I think she'd be very proud," Sango said quietly. "I know I am." The wind rustled the leaves of the trees around them. The shouts had died down.

Kohaku leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder. "Thanks, sis."

Sango lifted her arm and rested it over him. "Always, Kohaku."

* * *

AN: Due to all that hullabaloo with the previous two chapters, here's the one I was going to post today when all hell broke loose. It's short and sweet and I love it, especially the ending. ;)


	8. Chapter 8

"Good luck!" Sango cried as she joined the throng of villagers. A couple of taijiya had just left on a mission and a small crowd had gathered to see them off. The mission wasn't anything special, just another village in need of assistance, but the departing taijiya were always sent off with a bit of a fanfare.

The group turned just before the bend in the trail and waved back. Goro and Iwao had been sent on this mission, and Sango caught her friend's eye and flung up her arm enthusiastically in return. He sent her another cheery wave back before turning around and catching up to the older man.

With the spectacle gone, the crowd slowly dissipated. Sango saw Kohaku approaching and went over to him, meeting him halfway.

"They're off, then?" Kohaku frowned. "I wanted to say goodbye."

"You just missed them," Sango said, "but don't worry. I said good luck so it can count for both of us!"

"I don't know if it works that way, sister." Kohaku shook his head but smiled as they began to walk back the way he had just come.

"What do you want to do today?" Sango asked as they strolled along. Their day was free; Father was off settling small disputes between villagers, and their aunt wasn't doing any laundry. They didn't have any other obligations or events, so she supposed they could spend the day together.

Kohaku ducked a little and rubbed his neck. "Actually, I was thinking I could do a little extra training. I just can't get that sword move down-" He broke off, but Sango understood. He had been training for a few months now, but he was the furthest behind in his group. He could do a move right once or twice, but consistency was not his strong suit.

"Of course," Sango said. "Hey, why don't we train together? I could use a little brushing up, myself." This was a lie. Sango had just been training the other day, and didn't need any more practice with her sword fighting, but she didn't want her brother to be embarrassed by his lack of skill. Kohaku didn't seem one hundred percent fooled, but he nodded anyway.

After stopping at the communal weapons shed to borrow wooden swords, they made their way to the training fields. A few other men had gathered and were training in various different ways. One was punching the hanging bag, a few were sparring with their weapons, and a few more practiced archery, shooting at hanging targets. Sango and Kohaku found an empty part of the field and began warming up.

Once they had finished their stretches, they got down to it. Sango stood in as a training dummy, putting her sword up in the right formation so Kohaku could strike and disarm her. He started clumsily at first, not following through on all of his hits, but they soon fell into a rhythm. She brought up her sword, he parried, and they fell back, chasing each other around the field.

Soon, shouts from the guards caught her ear, and Sango jerked her head their way. "I think they're back. Let's go see!"

But as Sango and Kohaku made their way to the front gate, it became clear that something was wrong. A crowd had gathered again, but instead of cheering enthusiastically, they were muttering concernedly. As they drew nearer, the crowd shifted a bit and Sango could see Goro and Iwao standing in the center. The older man was holding his arm, and Goro hovered at his elbow, lightly supporting him.

Sango gasped and Kohaku stopped walking. As they watched, Iwao leaned in and said something to Goro, who released him. Iwao's son stepped out of the crowd and took Goro's place, supporting his father as the crowd began to move away. Goro still stood there, looking lost, and Sango ran up to him.

"What happened?"

Goro sighed, looking troubled. "It was a particularly nasty lizard demon. It swung out its tail and- well, he's lucky it was only his wrist. You should have seen it, Sango. The thing was ginormous!"

"Will he be all right?" Sango grabbed his arm. Iwao was one of the village's oldest taijiya. He still fought due to his great skill, but an injury to his arm could mean the end of his fighting career.

"I don't know," Goro said slowly, obviously thinking the same thing. "It's probably broken, and you know how old he is. This might be it for him."

"Oh no," Sango whispered.

"I know. He's just so tough, you know? I can't believe he might be out of commission." Goro paused, then burst out, "I should've done something! I should've been faster-"

"Don't," Sango ordered. "This is not your fault."

"I guess…." Goro slowly detached himself from her grasp. "I guess I'd better tell his daughter." He walked away slowly, obviously still beating himself up over it.

Sango turned around and saw Kohaku standing there, stark white, not moved an inch from where she had left him.

"Kohaku?" Sango asked. He just stood there, not seeming to hear her, just starting at the spot where the crowd had been. She went over to him.

"Kohaku?" She reached out tentatively, grabbing his hand. This seemed to jolt him back. He looked at her, and she was shocked to see his lip trembling and tears forming in his eyes.

"He's going to be fine, Kohaku," Sango said, reaching for his other hand. "It was just his wrist. He'll be fine."

"You don't know that," Kohaku said hoarsely. "He might have to stop."

"Yes, but he'll be fine. Everything will be fine."

"But Iwao is one of the most experienced men in the village. If he can get hurt, none of us are safe!" Tears threatened to spill out of his eyes, and Sango realized that it was about more than just Iwao. He was doubting their safety, scared to lose even more of his family than he already had.

"As Father always says," Sango quipped, "'the only demons we need fear are the ones that wear a human form'. It was just a low-level demon that got in a lucky shot."

Kohaku still looked concerned, but the combination of Sango's light-hearted behavior and their father's witticisms seemed to have had an effect. He drew in a breath and managed a shaky smile. "Are you sure?"

Sango squeezed her brother's hands reassuringly. "I'm sure. We're going to be fine. There's nothing to worry about."

* * *

AN: Here's chapter 8! From here on out, I'm predicting it'll be three more chapters for a total of eleven! I have one more in the works, so that count might go up, but there's a rough estimate. Anyway, this was another one of my favorites, so I hope you enjoy!


	9. Chapter 9

"Are you going to marry Goro?"

Sango choked on her rice.

"W-What?"

She and Kohaku were sitting in front of the fire, eating lunch and taking a break from training. For the last few months, she'd been training him in addition to the classes he got from Yasuji. He was still shaky with consistency, and his self-confidence had been affected by his many mistakes. But she was determined to make him a better, more confident fighter, or die trying. Sango hadn't been thinking about much of anything, and she had assumed that Kohaku was doing the same. That was, until a minute ago.

Now, choking on her food, Sango wondered what could have possibly possessed her brother to ask such a question. However, she was more concerned about not dying in the next few minutes than asking him what on earth he was thinking.

When she had finally stopped gasping, she looked at her brother through watery eyes. "What on earth are you _thinking_?" she cried.

"I don't know!" Kohaku said defensively."You're almost fifteen! You must have given it some thought!"

"I haven't- I don't-" Sango spluttered, feeling her face heating up. "Why would you ask that?"

"I didn't mean- I just wondered-" Kohaku stammered back, color rising over his freckles. "It was just a question!"

They stared at each other for a minute, both cherry red. Sango was so embarrassed that she did the only thing she could think of. She burst into nervous laughter. Kohaku joined her, and soon they were both laughing their embarrassment away.

With the tension eased, Sango considered it before speaking. She had actually had a conversation with her father a few days ago about the very subject.

"I don't know," she said thoughtfully. "Goro is nice, but he's my friend more than anything."

"Better him than Daiki."

Sango made a face. "How can you say that? Oh, I won't be able to eat for a week! But why do you care, anyway?"

"I just want you to be happy! If you'd don't pick someone soon, Father might arrange it, and who knows who'll you'll end up with!" Kohaku looked worried, and Sango would have sobered at the thought had she not been thinking of her aforementioned conversation.

"No, he won't do that. He promised that I could choose my own husband, pending his approval, of course!"

"He said that?" Kohaku stared at her surprisedly.

Truth be told, Sango had felt the same way when her father had put forth the idea. It was a novelty for girls to choose who they wanted to marry, and especially a novelty for the daughter of a high-ranking headman who would need strong children to carry on the family line. That high-ranking headman being her father, of course. As his eldest child, she would one day become the leader of the clan, and she was surprised that he was entrusting the very future of their people to her. But he had gone on to explain that she would have to make important decisions one day, and if she couldn't choose who to make them with, she'd be at a disadvantage before she even started. She had been surprised, but grateful, that he was allowing her this wonderful, rare opportunity.

She explained it all to Kohaku, and when she'd finished, he looked a little more comforted, but not much.

"But just _say_ ," Kohaku pressed, "just _say_ Father winds up picking, and Goro's a friend, and you know him well enough…"

"I don't know. I'd rather be with him than with someone like Daiki, obviously, but he's really just a friend. When I meet the man I want to marry, I'll feel it."

Kohaku still looked worried that she might not end up happily married. Honestly, she had her doubts as well. Where else other than her village would she meet someone to marry? They were so isolated, high up in the mountains. The only people there were the ones who had lived there all her life. But she couldn't say those things, especially not to Kohaku, especially not when he looked so concerned for her well-being.

"If it came down to it, I suppose we would," she told him. "But it wouldn't be love. Not like Mother and Father."

"As long as you have someone," Kohaku said. "I just want to know you'll have someone."

"I'm sure I will, Kohaku. I'm sure I will." As they resumed eating, Sango thought she had finally convinced her brother not to worry.

She just wished she could convince herself of it too.

* * *

AN: I know this chapter may seem a little repetitive after the one about Kohaku and the leaf, but that one was written to be funny than anything. This one is more about what I feel is one of Sango's biggest traits; her overpowering love for her brother and her willingness to sacrifice almost anything for him. In this chapter, she decides to lie to him in order to allay his concerns, although she has ones of her own as well. I think that trait is both positive and negative in equal parts, which is why I loved exploring it here!


	10. Chapter 10

"Don't you wanna come in, sis?"

"I have to train," Sango said, slicing the log repeatedly. "I have to get better."

"But it's getting late."

True, she had been in the training field since midday, and the sun was beginning to set over the trees in the distance. Still, she kept going, hacking at the log with all her might and ignoring her brother.

"C'mon," Kohaku begged. "Dinner is all ready, and I don't want to eat by myself."

She could hear it in his voice; he was getting upset. She felt bad, but she had to perfect this maneuver. She was so close, she could feel it. Just a few hours more, and she would have it down perfectly.

"Sorry, Kohaku," she said, shaking her head. "I have to get better."

"You're already one of the best!" Kohaku burst out. "You can take a break already!"

"No," Sango said, suddenly throwing her sword aside. "No, I can't. I have to be better than the best. I have to keep going."

Kohaku looked quite anxious, and Sango suddenly realized that she was frightening her brother. Her demeanor was usually serious, and she had developed a killer glare that often slipped onto her face when she was training without her notice. Arranging her face in what she hoped was a more pleasant expression, she reached down and picked up her sword. "Actually, I think you're right," she said, sheathing her sword, "I really should stop."

This sudden change in attitude was clearly not what Kohaku was expecting, and he looked even more anxious, as though he thought she was annoyed at him. Sango sighed and sat down, patting the grass beside her. Kohaku dutifully trotted over and sat down carefully.

"Listen, Kohaku," Sango paused, looking for the exact words to explain herself with, "I know I train a lot. But I really need to."

He still looked confused, so she elaborated.

"You know Yasuji?"

"Yeah, of course," Kohaku said, laughing uncertainly. "I'm still training with him!"

"Right. And you know he trained me too." Sango hesitated, then took the plunge. "When I trained with him, he was so mean to me. He always corrected me, even when the boys fell all over themselves. He singled me out. He told me that just because I was the master's daughter, I shouldn't expect to be treated any differently from the rest of the kids.

"But I was. He was harder on me than anyone else. But even when I got good, so good I could beat him in fights, he still treated me worse than the boys. Even the smallest mistake made me worth less than the boys, even when they made bigger mistakes. And then I realized that it wasn't just that the master was my father; it was that I was his daughter.

"I would beat someone in a fight, and they would say they hadn't given it their all. I would do a move better, they'd say they hadn't been trying. No matter what I did, they would always discredit me. Even when they failed, they'd find a way to turn it so I was the weak one.

"And when I fail, it's even worse. No matter if they've made the same mistake a thousand times; for me, it's proof that I can't handle it, that I shouldn't be a taijiya. A small offense on a man's behalf is an unpardonable offense on mine. I was always held to a higher standard, and I always will be. No matter if I succeed or fail, they will always say I failed.

"So I have to be the best. I have to be so good that no one can say that it's only because of Father or that I'll never be good enough because I'm a woman. I have to be unequivocally, undisputedly, the best."

She finished her rant and looked up to see her brother watching her with wide eyes. She realized she was fiddling with a piece of grass but kept going, twirling it over and over with her fingers.

"I never knew…." Kohaku stared at her with what seemed like growing respect as what she had said sank in.

"So, yeah. That's why," Sango said, giving him a small smile. She cast aside the blade of grass she had been twirling and saw that the field around her was a shredded mess. She must have been ripping up the grass as she spoke.

"For what it's worth," Kohaku said shyly, "I think you're already the best."

Sango smiled and quickly ruffled his hair, ignoring his indignant squawk. "Thanks, Kohaku."

He grinned at her. "Always, sis."

* * *

AN: Awww, I just love it when things come full circle! This chapter ties back to two previous ones (hope you can spot where)! This takes place about a year before the canon starts, and it will be the last chapter that occurs before that time. The next one will be a year after canon, as a sort of epilogue, but still very much a part of the story. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)


	11. Chapter 11

Kohaku could see the village coming into view as he flew overhead, looking for a good spot to set down. Kirara mewed, and Kohaku patted her on the head. "Soon, Kirara, soon." Still, the cat tossed her fiery tail and sped up, anxious to see her other owner.

If Kohaku had to be honest, he was just as excited as the cat was. It had been a few weeks since his last visit and he was looking forward to seeing his sister again. It was a little odd, not seeing her every day as they had when they were children, but Kohaku supposed he would get used to it. After all, he had lived with her for eleven years, and had only been on his own for three. There was still time to get used to the way things were now. A lot of things had changed in these last three years.

Kirara went in for a landing, neatly setting down right in front of Sango's house. She waited until he had jumped off, then transformed and ran over to Sango. It looked as though she had been hanging laundry, but had stopped when she saw them fly overhead. Her sleeves were rolled up, and Kohaku felt a wave of guilt as he looked at the many scars crisscrossing hr arms. She noticed him looking and pulled down her sleeves before going for the cat. She made small soothing noises at her, petting Kirara's tiny diamond shaped mark. She didn't mention the staring. He was grateful. Some things were better left unmentioned.

"And you," Sango said, finally finishing petting the cat, "come here!" She crossed over and pulled him into a tight hug. "It's been _ages_! How've you been?"

"Same as always," he said, hugging her back. "How about you?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she said, "but hang on…" She stepped back a pace, holding him at arm's length. "Have you gotten _taller_? Why, you're as tall as I am!"

"Really?" he asked. Now that she mentioned it, he was able to look her straight in the eye, instead of leaning up. It felt rather odd, the more he thought about it.

"Kohaku!" He turned to find Kagome hurrying out of her house to greet him. His sister's best friend looked as happy as ever. Before he could even say so much as a hello, she pulled him into a tight hug. When he first met her, he had been slightly uncomfortable with her familiarity. She had treated him like family! But as he got to know her, he learned that she had a little brother back in her time. He supposed she missed him, and she was hoping to find a bit of a replacement for him in Kohaku. So he let her hug him all she wanted. He didn't mind having another big sister, anyway.

"Hang on…." She pulled away too, apparently noticing the same thing as Sango.

"I specifically told you _not_ to grow taller than me!" Kagome said in mock anger, shaking her finger at him.

"It's good to see you too, Lady Kagome," he said, laughing a bit. She was the shortest out of her group of friends, and she took pleasure in finding anyone she could who was shorter than her that she could stand next to as much as possible.

"I'm sorry, Kagome, but it's not hard to do," Sango said, laughing. Kagome whipped her head around to stare at her friend.

"Sango ,how could you?" she cried. Another thing Kohaku had learned about Kagome was that she could be quite dramatic when she wanted.

Sango just laughed and shook her head. "C'mon, Kohaku, let's go to the fields. Miroku is there, and I'm sure he'd love to see you!" Kohaku complied, and he followed his sister. Kagome trailed along, muttering things like "betrayal" and "supposed to be my friend" under her breath.

Suddenly, Sango stopped. Kohaku almost ran into her and skirted around her to avoid a collision. "Sister, what-" he began, then noticed what she was looking at.

A huge group of kids was standing in the middle of the road, forming a circle around something. Shouts and laughter were coming from the group as the kids on the outside tried to push their way closer to whatever was going on at the center. Kohaku was about to ask what the fuss could be about when Sango suddenly started walking again.

"Hang on…" he heard her growl under her breath as he ran after her. Kagome followed him, looking very concerned.

Sango got to the group and began to wade through the kids. "Break it up!" she snarled. "C'mon, move aside-" The shouting was replaced by whispers and giggles as the crowd parted quickly before her to reveal one of the twins driving a punch home. The other twin sat on the ground, sniffling quietly.

"JIN!" Sango roared, grabbing her daughter by the collar as she raised her fist again. The crowd scattered and the boy that Kohaku's niece had been punching got up and ran too. Kohaku went over to the other twin, Mana, and helped her up. She hiccupped quietly into his arm. Her face was red and covered in tear streaks that Jin had obviously been avenging.

Sango came over and knelt in front of her daughter. "Are you hurt, Mana?"

The girl shook her head and wiped her nose. "Good," Sango said, rising, "then you can tell me what exactly you were doing, Jin!"

"I whaled him, Mama!" Jin declared, looking awfully proud of herself.

"He called me stupid!" Mana's lower lip trembled. "I'm not stupid, am I, Mama?"

"Oh, no, honey," Sango said, kneeling down again and hugging her. "You're not stupid."

"Asao said she was," Jin insisted. "I was defending her!"

"Oh, no," Sango repeated, this time sounding much angrier. "You are coming with me, young lady!" She pulled Jin back down the road to her house. Kohaku followed, holding Mana's hand. Kagome trailed behind, looking fearful.

When they finally got back to the hut, Sango seated both girls in front of her. They immediately began protesting, but she shook her head. "Enough." She looked directly at Jin. "I don't suppose I have to say I'm very disappointed in you."

"But Asao-" Jin protested. Sango held up her hand.

"You can't do anything like this again, do you promise me that?" Sango demanded. The familiar phrase jogged Kohaku's memory, and his mouth twitched as he fought back a reminiscent smile.

"You can't just punch people you don't like. You need to use restraint. If you want to be a taijiya like me someday, you'll have to learn how to be a warrior, and part of being a good warrior is knowing when to stop. But a good warrior also knows when to start. You can't fight people all the time. Sometimes, you have to use your words. Words are more powerful than anything you can ever throw at anyone."

Kohaku was struggling to keep himself from smiling. He was sure his sister would not appreciate him encouraging the twins, although the circumstances and the defiant look on Jin's face reminded him of a similar occurrence many years ago….

"It's almost dinnertime now, so there's no use in punishing you today. But tomorrow, you'll have to stay inside all day. Now, go and wash up for dinner." Sango spoke authoritatively, and Kohaku marveled at how well she'd slipped into life as a mother, raising and disciplining her children calmly and collectedly.

"Yes, Mama," Jin said. She and Mana got up and left the house quietly. Jin only looked slightly ashamed at her behavior. Kohaku was again reminded of a certain someone and his mouth twitched. Sango was ladling rice into bowls, still looking the very picture of a responsible adult.

"That was a very good speech, Sango!" Kagome said, looking impressed.

"I can't take all the credit," Sango admitted, smiling as she shrugged. "My father once told me the same thing. I just repeated his words."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it, sister?" Kohaku asked teasingly.

Sango turned slightly pink, but said, "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, Kohaku."

Kohaku couldn't help it. Seeing his sister sitting there, all prim and adult-like, pretending that she hadn't been just as reckless when she was young; it was too much. He burst out laughing, falling over and clutching at his side as his sister and her best friend stared at him like he had lost his mind. Kagome let out a nervous giggle, then stuffed her hand into her mouth. Kohaku decided to elaborate.

"She did the exact same thing for me when we were kids," he said. "Jumped on a kid and beat him up 'cause he called me stupid."

"No!" Kagome pulled her knuckles out of her mouth only to clap her hands over the same. "You didn't, Sango!"

"I did, as a matter of fact," Sango said, turning even more pink, but she was still trying to maintain her rapidly slipping away air of responsibility. "But I didn't _beat_ him up! I only-"

"You broke his nose, sister," Kohaku reminded her. Kagome looked absolutely scandalized. The look on her face was enough to send him into another fit of laughter, and this time Sango joined him.

"How do you remember that?" Sango laughed. "You were only three!"

"That's one of my earliest memories," Kohaku admitted. "You standing up to that bully."

"It's true; I hated Daiki," Sango said, smiling dryly. "He terrorized half the children in the village, and I was the only one who ever stood up to him. He hated me after that; always tried to one-up me during training, but he never could."

"You were great, sister," Kohaku said. "He was a real jerk."

"He sounds like one of my brother's classmates," Kagome said. "He had a perfectly good bike of his own, but he would always steal everyone else's and ride them over freshly paved sidewalks, or get them all scratched up and dented. What a nuisance!"

Kohaku hadn't the faintest idea what she was talking about, but he supposed that stealing was pretty bad, no matter what contraption the thief got their hands on. Luckily, he was saved from having to pretend he knew what she was talking about by the reentry of the twins.

Jin came sulkily in and took a seat. Mana followed suit, sitting close to her sister as though for moral support. Sango served them some dinner. She handed a bowl to Kohaku and Kagome as well and served her own portion, then sighed. "Listen, Jin, I agree with your motives, but there still isn't any excuse for what you did."

She made eye contact with Kohaku as she said it, and he masked a grin by taking an overly large bite of his dinner.

Mana spoke up, no doubt trying to take the attention off of her sister. "The flowers are blooming, Mama! I saw them across the road. You like them, don't you?"

"You're right, Mana," Sango smiled, allowing her daughter to change the subject. "Those are my favorites. We pick them every year, don't we?"

"You do," Kagome answered. "And they really are lovely, but I've always wondered; every time you pick them, you press one and save it. Why do you do that?"

"Oh, it's an old habit of mine," Sango said, idly taking a bite of her rice as she spoke. "I just can't help myself!"

She said it causally, but Kohaku noticed that she glanced over to him when she said it.

Kohaku smiled. No matter how different things got, he was glad that some things would always stay the same.

* * *

AN: And that's the end! I know I say this for many chapters, but this was one of my favorites to write. Tying up the whole thing (and with a reference to an earlier fav chapter!) was so fun for me.

This is an important story for me, not only because of the content, but because it makes a few milestones for me. This is my first completed multi-chapter fic, which makes me happy when I think of all the half-finished drafts and drawings I have of other ideas. And while writing this fic, I set a goal to write a story with 10K words on this site, which happened as well!

And finally, a big thank you to everyone who left comments on this; you really inspired me to keep going. And thank you to everyone who saw this through to the end with me. You all really made these last three months worthwhile!


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